[jakeonthemove]

Sure, they could have their own nuclear fusion reactors or even something more sophisticated, but why let a perfectly good source of energy just go to waste?

I don't think they'd care that anyone could detect them if they're that advanced...

[lutusp]

> Sure, they could have their own nuclear fusion reactors or even something more sophisticated, but why let a perfectly good source of energy just go to waste?

TO avoid detection by some other warlike species?

Regardless of the alienness of a life form, there are certain principles one can rely on, under average circumstances:

* Resource aren't infinite anywhere, and an intelligent species won't deliberately waste resources.

* No civilization is invulnerable.

* The duration of existence of any lifeform is finite.

There will always be outliers, but if we're after a set of reliable assumptions, these are on the list.

> I don't think they'd care that anyone could detect them if they're that advanced...

If you wrap a star in collection surfaces, thermodynamics dictates that the result will be a much larger surface at a lower temperature. If that isn't true, then the point of the exercise (energy collection) won't pan out.

Obviously this is rank speculation, but knowing what we do about living species, some speculations are more likely than others.

[maxerickson]

The most likely shape of interstellar war is lasergrams that say "We hate you" (but here is some harvestable energy...).

The next most likely is probably relativistic projectiles, which are dangerous in proportion to the energy required to send them (i.e., they aren't that likely a threat).

Direct invasions of civilizations that can shape the matter of an entire solar system seem pretty much destined to failure (I guess you could come in on a ship built from an entire solar system, but I wonder if you are war mongering at that point).